1. Field
This relates to lift pin modules used in a semiconductor/flat panel display (FPD) manufacturing apparatus.
2. Background
Flat Panel Displays (FPDs) may include, for example, LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays), PDPs (Plasma Display Panels) and OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes). A manufacturing apparatus used for manufacturing FPDs may include a plurality of vacuum treatment devices, such as, for example, a load lock chamber, a transfer chamber and a process chamber, for treating the surface of a substrate.
The load lock chamber may receive raw substrates from the outside, and may also distribute processed substrates to the outside. The transfer chamber may include a transfer robot that transfers substrates between chambers, thus feeding the raw substrates from the load lock chamber to the process chamber and returning the processed substrates from the process chamber to the load lock chamber. The substrates may be processed in the process chamber by, for example, forming respective layers on the substrates or etching the substrates using plasma or thermal energy in a vacuum. Lift pins that lift the substrates may be provided in the chambers to facilitate the loading and unloading of substrates from the chambers. Consistent, stable movement and placement of the substrates may simplify the manufacturing process and yield a higher quality FPD.